By DCist contributor Victoria Finkle

It may have been outlawed at the dinner table growing up, but playing with your food isn’t all bad.

Instead of just getting intoxicated during boozy brunch, you can stick around Masa 14 (1825 14th Street NW) for the “Sunday Sushi School” pop-up. Tame your inner child with a hands-on evening class led by sushi chef Kaz Okochi. It’s the next step for the Latin-Asian hot spot’s sushi menu, which opened in June.

“Masa 14 is a fun, lively space and we wanted to incorporate that energy into the new sushi menu with this unique sushi school experience,” Okochi said at a recent media preview.

The award-winning chef, who has apparently recovered from his bout with sushi elbow last year, will guide you through the construction of a temaki hand roll (basically, sushi in the shape of a seaweed ice cream cone) with crunchy shrimp or spicy tuna, and an inside-out roll with regular or spicy salmon. You can also jazz up your creations with a variety of fresh sauces and toppers, like cucumber and avocado. The anti-fish crowd can try their hands at a vegetarian option upon request.

You’ll no doubt leave with a new culinary trick up your sleeve — or at least with a greater appreciation for the pros. Japanese-born Okochi, who is an owner at Masa, has been at the center of D.C.’s sushi scene since the 1988, when he came to the city to work at its first sushi bar, Sushi-Ko. (He’s also the man behind the popular Kaz Sushi Bistro downtown.)

So even if your rolls come out a little sad and misshapen (guilty as charged), you can rest assured they still make for a pretty delicious snack. The atmosphere is low-key, and it’s hard to go too far astray with an expert nearby who greets your blank stares with humor and patience. Indeed, this class is approved for the cooking impaired.

Get your roll on the first Sunday of the month from now until the end of the year. Classes are held from 6 to 9 p.m. and will run you $15 ($21 if you’re feeling thirsty and want to pair your deep-sea delights with sake). Reservations are recommended.